9 responses so far ↓

• 1 shirley emerick // Aug 31, 2014 at 12:55 pm

  how dare that the provincial government take out benefits away after they have agreed on those benefits on retirement….i retired after years of working just to have my so called guaranteed benefits away….that of course was bc medical….under the provincial pensions benefits….then all of a sudden the bc government takes the benefit away after i signed for my benefits…then i should be able to change my mind about the options i took….this is the only province in canada that does not have free medical benefits and they take benefits away that was signed for at retirement???????

• 2 lreid // Oct 15, 2014 at 11:40 am

  Hello, When is this going to be resolved? Why is it taking so long I will be dead by then after them telling I couldn’t get money unless I was dying in 2 years what a joke. At this rate that just might happen.. Shame on the government of BC and FICOM….. I don’t get what is going on in this province besides the latest goverment..

• 3 Susan // Nov 15, 2014 at 12:36 pm

  Attention: Susan

  I’m afraid there is not much else I can add.

  We are assisting the policy and legislation group in the Ministry of Finance with the development of the PBSR. The best advice I can give is continue to monitor our website for updates on the new legislation.

  Alternately, you may want to contact the Financial and Corporate Sector Policy Branch in Victoria directly for updates on the development of the legislation. Here is their profile…
  http://www.fin.gov.bc.ca/prs/fcsp.htm

  Kind regards

  Gerry H.
  Complaint and Inquiry Officer
  Office of the Superintendent of Pensions
  Suite 2800, 555 West Hasting Street
  Vancouver, BC V6B 4N6
  : http://www.fic.gov.bc.ca
  (604.660.3555 7 604.660.3365
  Please consider the environment before printing this email

  —–Original Message—–
  From: Complaint@ficombc.ca [mailto:Complaint@ficombc.ca]
  Sent: Monday, May 20, 2013 8:52 AM
  To: PENSIONS FIN:EX
  Subject: FICOM On-Line Complaint from Susan

  Name: Susan

  Address:

  Phone:

  Fax #:

  E-Mail:
  suetsaw@gmail.com

  ———————–
  Complainant Information:

  Category:
  Pensions

  Subject of Complaint (Name of person or company):
  Bill 38 Pension Amendments

  Subject Address / Contact Information:
  FICOM/ Superintendent of Pensions

  Details of Complaint:
  Bill 38 received Royal Ascent in Late May, 2012.
  It passed through the First Reading to Royal Ascent In the BC Legislature between April and above date with Apparent ease.
  We are now approaching the 1 Year mark, with Little to nil information on it’s revisions, to becoming Law.
  I have no doubt that someone knows the intended Timeline for this Document, and would hope that It is not being held to Ransom due to Election Activity, Passing the sniff test, bureaucracy , or other irrelevant events.
  Is it not my right to receive current updates that that Plan Administrators must surely be getting?
  Upon enquiry, I am told to keep watching the FICOM Website? Really… This is the response to Who? Pension Holders. I am intent on receiving A current update on the progress of Bill 38 at your earliest convenience would be appreciated.

  ———————–
  Email send from: 24.114.83.117

  B.C. pension bill receives royal assent
  British-Columbia-flag
  Staff | June 5, 2012

  British Columbia’s pension reform is another step closer to reality. The province’s bill 38, the Pension Benefits Standards Act (PBSA), was introduced on April 30, 2012, and received Royal Assent last week, on May 31. The legislation and accompanying regulations are expected to come into force some time after Jan. 1, 2013.

  The bill repeals and replaces the current PBSA, and is the result of a 2008 report from the Joint Expert Panel on Pension Standards (JEPPS)—an independent expert panel established by the finance ministers of Alberta and British Columbia. JEPPS’ mandate was to review pension legislation in the two provinces and make recommendations for reform.

  B.C. says the legislation will help to reduce administrative costs and enhance the rights of pension plan members and retirees.

  Two amendments were made to the bill during the committee stage in the Legislative Assembly, as follows:

  section 58 was amended to include the deemed trust provisions found in subsection 43.1(3) of the current PBSA; and
  section 79 was amended to clarify the rights and obligations of surviving spouses relating to death benefits.
  For a summary of Bill 38, read: A review of B.C.’s new pension legislation

• 4 A. Smith // Nov 17, 2014 at 7:51 pm

  Dear Gerry H:

  There’s “nothing more that I can add” is not a sufficient answer to Susan’s question. There are many people who are DESPERATELY waiting for these unlocking rules to be passed. From what I have learned, some have ended up homeless on the street, “cup in hand”, despite money in the bank (that they cannot touch due to patriarchal, outdated and unconstitutional rules). This is completely unacceptable in a democratic society.

  Mr. Peters (Deputy Supt of Pensions) recently spoke on this issue at a training session for the Canadian Bar Association in Vancouver. Surely, he did not tell the lawyers in attendance that there was “nothing more that he could add”. Perhaps there is a transcript of that meeting that could be shared?

  I agree with Susan that this should be a transparent process. The idea that this legislation, which profoundly affects so many people, is being developed behind closed doors with no opportunity for public/community input is completely unacceptable.
  The idea that this legislation is being developed without any regard for the rights afforded to all within the Canadian Charter is also unacceptable.
  Frankly, this whole process is somewhat discriminatory, and a possible violation of Sec. 7 and or Sec 15 of the Charter of Rights.
  It is especially problematic given that MLAs very subtly exempt themselves from the pension locking in rules that are imposed upon every one else. See:
  http://www.bclaws.ca/EPLibraries/bclaws_new/document/ID/freeside/00_96257_01

  and pay close attention to sections 23 and 42.

  I wonder what the press might think of this little inequity?

  A. Smith

• 5 Susan // Nov 20, 2014 at 12:32 pm

  Thank you A Smith

  Wondering where everyone else is regarding this urgent matter. Well, urgent to those but the chosen few who always exempt themselves from the tangled web they weave around the “rest”. I may decide to sit outside the Commissioner’s Office with a sign , since I can’t afford to do anything else , and am looking for free activities to keep myself occupied. Oh wait , I only have 1 week a month to do that, as I work 250 hrs a month in Alberta because there are no jobs here for washed up Public Servants, unless you connections.

• 6 Susan // Nov 20, 2014 at 12:35 pm

  Oh, and what happened to my latest post ? It was under review by the Moderator and has not appeared since. It contained nothing but facts , but must have hit a nerve somewhere.

• 7 Catherine // Apr 1, 2015 at 6:46 pm

  And still nothing. Maybe by this summer they said. Governments, man oh man…terrible and they never do what they say they are going to do nor keep a promise. Is that not fraud?

• 8 Another Susan // Apr 20, 2015 at 8:19 pm

  When I called the Finance Ministry this March 2015, they answered that my name was on a list to receive notification IF and when the Bill 38 (+Bill 10 amendments) was going through. I have been writing Minister (s) since 2006 about this so don’t despair, answer is , and I quote, :”99 percent sure it will pass this session…”Obviously the 1 percent is still there but we may as well turn blue in the face cause it sure takes an eternity to wait for ” the political will”.

• 9 maria // May 22, 2015 at 11:32 am

  It is terrible that it is taking them this long to amend this. However, when they raise their own pension seems to be instant. I hope this does goes thru however the rules for hardship are pretty hard to meet.

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